


The Key To Your Crate

by Measured



Category: Team Fortress 2
Genre: Community: fic_promptly, Derogatory Language, F/M, Fluff, One-Sided Attraction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-10
Updated: 2014-11-10
Packaged: 2018-02-24 20:16:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2595071
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Measured/pseuds/Measured
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Scout is excited to find his very own stocking stuffer key from Miss Pauling, at least until he figures out that everyone else got one as well. But that does little to put a damper on his enthusiasm.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Key To Your Crate

**Author's Note:**

> Based on [the stocking stuffer key.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSurKManVXk)

When Scout woke up, he noticed his lucky socks right back from the wash and...with a bow around them? He picked them up and pulled off the ribbon, sure it was some idiot Spy playing a prank on him, only to notice a golden key fall out and clatter to the floor. He bent to pick up the key, which had a little snowflake tied right under the ring. 

It took him only a few moments to realize it was one of those _special_ keys for the new crates they were putting out. He turned it all over. No note or anything, just a key in his socks.  
Who would pass out something like that? Certainly not the dragon lady, or old man Hale, they never gave anything for free that they couldn't charge. Except weapons and stuff, but that barely counted when they needed it to do their job. He even paid out of his paycheck every time he ruined a uniform, too. Unless... yes! It could only be her, sneaking in a key to her heart...or maybe her door, too.

Scout ran out, feeling light and so giddy. He couldn't believe it. No, wait, he could. He was just _that_ awesome.

His daydream of a rosy-cheeked Miss Pauling putting something special _just for him_ evaporated with Heavy's gravelly voice going _Oooh, key!_

"Oh, that's mighty nice of her. I got one too," Engineer said.

"Wait, all you guys got one too? So, it wasn't just me?"

"No, it isn't a love gesture," Spy said with disdain. "She was just being kind, as usual."

"Wait, you know somethin'—" Scout broke off. Spy always knew something. He raced off, going down the hall. He caught up with her near the kitchen, checking off something on a clipboard.

"Miss Pauling!"

She looked up, somewhat taken aback at his sudden appearance. And the fact that he'd almost crashed into her, of course.

He held the key up. "So, about this—"

"Yes, it's a Smissmass gift. The traditional ones are weapons to keep the Spirit of Smissmass away, but all of you get weapons all the time, and I suppose it could unbox a weapon..." she said. 

"Sure it ain't the key to your heart?" Scout said with a big grin.

"You need another key for that," she said dryly.

"Man, if only Mann co. sold that, huh? I'd buy 'em all up. All of 'em, even if it bankrupted me! Then I'd keep 'em all."

She looked skeptically at him. "Really now?"

"Cross my heart and hope to die," he said.

And he totally did. The crossing the heart thing, not the dying, though he did that all the time as well. 

"You seem more the kind to want a master key to the panties of every woman within a ten-mile radius."

Damn, she had him there. 

"Yeah, well—" He broke off laughing, because he couldn't top that. She was as sassy as ever, and dead on, except for the part where half of him wanted he master key and half wanted the key to her. Somehow even he knew that he couldn't have both those keys. He rubbed at his neck, feeling the rise of his heartbeat that happened whenever she was around or anyone said her name. God, she was just so cute. Small and curvy, feisty and cute. She could shut him up with just a glance his way.

"Hey, Miss Pauling..." Scout began.

Her watch let out a beep, cutting him off. She frowned at it, her cat-eye glasses falling down as she looked. She absently pushed them up with one finger, and sighed at whatever special readout thing was there.

"I have to be going. Good luck in opening your crates," Miss Pauling said. She stepped away, towards the door to return to her rounds.

"Hey, Miss P—!" Scout burst out. She stopped at the doorway, turning back and looking at him. Paying attention to him, listening to him.

"Thanks a lot. It's the best thing I could've gotten. Really. It's great, and you're great, and...thanks. Really, thanks."

Well, other than a date, or a kiss, or a hot tumble in the hay—but still, it was really good. His first gift from her, and he'd be damned before it'd be his last.

She smiled faintly before she went out the door and left him in the empty hall. Scout put his hands behind his neck as he stretched. She'd already gone past the authorized personnel place, so there was no following her this time. The best he could do was return and get wasted on eggnog.

"Hey, I'm gonna find those keys eventually, you know? The ones to your heart. Just you wait, Miss P. Just you wait," Scout said. 

Finally he walked back, the key still in hand.

The other guys went and happily opened up the crates, with hats and guns strewn all over the floor, like the keys weren't worth nothing but for what they could give 'em, but Scout kept his. He earned enough that he could buy any of those weapons or hats, full price even. But something from Miss Pauling? Now _that_ was priceless.


End file.
